FULL INTERVIEW- Okmulgee County EMA on potential data center site
Okmulgee County EMA issued a floodplain permit for a potential data center site on land owned by Three Rivers Manufacturing. The county currently lacks general zoning, but has floodplain ordinances that must be followed. The county commission has formed a committee to review the potential impacts of data center development.
An Okmulgee County EMA official discussed the process surrounding a potential data center site in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma. Earlier, around February, the owners of the property, identified as Three Rivers Manufacturing (owned by Commissioner Steve Ward), sought a floodplain permit for their land. The EMA provided the necessary process and requested documentation, which was submitted, leading to the issuance of the floodplain permit this year. The official emphasized that while Okmulgee County does not have general zoning regulations outside of incorporated areas, it does enforce flood plain ordinances due to its participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Future steps for the data center development, if it proceeds as expected, would include further studies, such as hydrology and hydraulic reports, and additional floodplain permits if structures are built within the floodplain. Any commercial structure in unincorporated Okmulgee County also requires approval from the state fire marshal. The official clarified that the permit issued was specifically for floodplain compliance and that any new construction must ensure it does not adversely affect the floodplain beyond its footprint. A county commission committee has also been formed recently to review the potential impacts of data centers, suggesting ongoing scrutiny of such developments in the area.